[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen hits Billboard 200 at No. 5 with best-of album

Seventeen claimed the No. 5 spot on the Billboard 200 with its best-of album, according to the chart preview posted Sunday in the US. Expectations were high for the album “17 Is Right Here” as the main track “Maestro” debuted on its Global 200 and Global excl. the US charts at No. 91 and No. 40, respectively, in less than four days after release. The lead single topped the iTunes Top Songs chart in 32 regions and the album landed atop Oricon’s weekly and weekly comb

May 13, 2024

Ador CEO’s fate to be decided on May 17

Beleagured Ador CEO Min Hee-jin’s fate as the leader of the Hybe subsidiary will practically be decided Friday, the day of a hearing for the injunction against Hybe, according to an industry source, Monday. Min, on May 7, filed for an injunction with the Seoul Central District Court to prohibit Hybe from exercising its voting rights in favor of a proposal to dismiss her. With Ador’s extraordinary shareholders’ meeting scheduled to take place May 31, the court’s decision o

May 13, 2024

NewJeans to appear on reality show amid ‘Hybe-Ador’ dispute

Popular girl group NewJeans of Ador is making its first appearance on a TV reality show amid the ongoing conflict between its music label CEO Min Hee-jin and the parent company Hybe. Public broadcaster KBS recently confirmed NewJeans’ participation in its reality-variety show “2 Days & 1 Night.” “We have recently finished filming the upcoming episode with NewJeans and it will air sometime in mid-June,” KBS said Monday. Hyein, one of the five group members, did n

May 13, 2024

[Herald Review] Highlight kicks off Asia tour with memory-filled Seoul concert

Despite heavy rain, the KSPO Dome in Seoul on Saturday was packed with fans who had to come to see the boy band Highlight perform a Seoul concert of its Asia tour "Lights Go On, Again." The three Seoul concerts on May 10-12, Highlight's first concerts in two years, marked the group's 15th anniversary. Amidst crimson lights and lasers, the quartet emerged and opened the show with intense performances of "Switch On," "Alone," "Paper Cut," and other

May 13, 2024

Rising pansori stars bring 'Chunhyang' to 'Peerless Pansori'

The fourth installment of the National Changgeuk Company of Korea's "Peerless Pansori" series returns this weekend with emerging "pansori" performers Cho Yu-ah and Kim Soo-in. The shows, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Daloreum Theater, were sold out soon after tickets sales opened. The "Peerless Pansori" concert series was launched in 2021 to create opportunities for young and emerging pansori singers to explore the music and mise-en-scenes with conte

May 13, 2024

NewJeans-Pharrell Williams collabo part of group's debut Japanese album

NewJeans collaborated with American pop star Pharrell Williams for their Japanese debut single album. According to Ador, Pharrell Williams participated in composing and writing the lyrics to the K-pop girl group’s titular track of their first-ever Japanese single album, “Supernatural.” The lead track, “Supernatural,” is composed with a melody that brings back memories from the past and harmonizes well with the group’s mellow vocals, says the agency. “Pro

May 13, 2024

[New on the scene] Director Kim Se-hwi captures dark side of social media in thriller

While people’s obsession and dependence on social media services have only grown stronger in recent years, social media use can be a double-edged sword. It can be a tool used to gain important information and spread useful tips, or it can be a means to stalk people or even plot a crime. In director Kim Se-hwi’s debut film, “Following,” a real estate agent named Gu Jeong-tae (Byun Yo-han) has a strange if not perverse habit of peeping into other people’s lives. Wheth

May 13, 2024

Hybe-Ador CEO conflict gets messier

What started as a dispute between Hybe and Min Hee-jin, the CEO of its subsidiary, Ador, over Min's alleged attempt to usurp management rights is getting messier. Hybe last Friday released a statement saying it would take civil action against Min for revealing an internal audit it had conducted Thursday of Ador’s styling directing team leader over suspicion of embezzlement. Ador’s team leader is alleged to have received advertising fees directly from an advertiser instead of thr

May 12, 2024

Popular online game soundtracks rearranged as traditional music

The soundtracks of popular online games such as Black Desert and Lineage have been rearranged as traditional Korean music. The National Gugak Center is unveiling a series of single albums titled "National Gugak Center x Game Sound Series," which rearranges 13 popular game melodies into traditional Korean music, starting from last Thursday to May 24. Among the tracks are theme songs and background music from Lies of P, Skul, Sanabi, MapleStory, TalesWeaver, Epic Seven, Lost Ark, Guardia

May 12, 2024

BTS’ ‘Dynamite’ certified 5X platinum in US

BTS’ digital single “Dynamite” has reached a new milestone in the US. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the digital single released in August 2020 was certified with "5X Platinum" for recording more than 5 million units of download sales. This is BTS' first 5X platinum certification from RIAA. The K-pop sensation currently has a total of nine platinum certifications from RIAA for its singles including “Idol,” “Bo

May 12, 2024

[What to play] Musical tributes to family in the month of family

May is known as the month of family in South Korea. With Children's Day on May 5, Parents' Day on 8, and Married Couples' Day on 21, it is a month for spending time with loved ones and thinking about the meaning of family. Why not take a moment under the pleasant May sunshine to reflect on the gratitude we hold for our families with some comforting songs? “Mother to Daughter” – Kim Kyu-ri & Yang Hee-eun Singer Yang Hee-eun's "Mother to Daughter,&q

May 11, 2024

BTS leader RM's new song tops iTunes charts in 82 countries

"Come Back to Me," the new song by RM, the leader of K-pop superband BTS, has debuted atop iTunes Top Songs charts in 82 countries around the world, his agency said Saturday. The track from his upcoming solo album came out Friday, two weeks ahead of the release of the album, titled "Right Place, Wrong Person." The countries include Germany, Brazil, France and Japan, according to BigHit Music. Following the prerelease of the song, RM will roll out the 11-track album on May 24.

May 11, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT’s Mark to drop 1st solo album in February 2025

Mark of NCT is gearing up to put out his first solo album, label SM Entertainment said Friday. It is due out in February next year, and he will give fans a taste of what is to come on May 16 with the single album “200," consisting of two tracks – the titular track and “200 (Minhyung’s Ver.).” At midnight, the musician surprised his fans with a video clip in which he sang the lead single while playing an acoustic guitar. Mark has released the solo songs “C

May 10, 2024

Lee Sun-kyun's posthumuous film to hit theaters in August

"The Land of Happiness," a film starring the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, known for his appearance in the Oscar-winning flick "Parasite," will hit theaters in August, according to the film's distributor, Friday. "The Land of Happiness" depicts the story of a lawyer, Jung In-hoo (Jo Jung-suk), who defends a soldier named Park Tae-joo (Lee Sun-kyun) during a trial involving the assassination of President Park Chung-hee, according to NEW, the film's distributor.

May 10, 2024

Netflix's 'The 8 Show' will navigate power structures within small society

Director Han Jae-rim, who helmed numerous hit Korean flicks such as "The Face Reader" and "The King," said he aimed to depict the power dynamics that arise when people group together in his latest Netflix original series "The 8 Show" -- which re-imagines the popular Korean webtoon "Money Game" and its sequel "Pie Game." The eight-part thriller series narrates the story of eight financially struggling individuals who take part in a mysterious sh

May 10, 2024

Hyein of NewJeans to halt activities due to foot injury

Hyein of NewJeans will be absent from official activities for the group's new album, "How Sweet," due to a foot injury. The group's agency, Ador, posted a notice on the fan community platform Weverse stating that Hyein will not participate in activities related to the upcoming album, including music shows and performances, so that she can focus on rest and recovery. Hyein was diagnosed with a minor fracture in her foot during practice last month and has since been focusing on

May 10, 2024

Olivia Rodrigo to hold concert in Korea

American pop star Olivia Rodrigo will hold her first concert in South Korea in September. Rodrigo will perform at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, Seoul on Sept. 20, according to the concert planning agency Bonboo Entertainment. Born in 2003, Rodrigo rose to stardom in 2021 with “Drivers License,” her debut single and lead single of her first studio album, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track "Sour," released in the same year, stayed in the top 10 of the Billboard al

May 10, 2024

TripleS releases 1st LP ‘Assemble 24’ with 24 members

TripleS, the K-pop girl group with the most members in history, released their first studio album, “Assemble 24,” with all 24 members for the first time since their debut in May 2022. “It took us two years to complete our group of 24. It feels surreal to finally announce a new beginning of TripleS as a group of 24 with this album that some of our members took part in bringing about,” said Seo Da-hyun, the 10th member to join tripleS, during a press conference in Seoul on

May 10, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (US) Opened May 8 Action/Sci-fi Directed by Wes Ball A young ape goes on a journey many years after the reign of Caesar, following the War for the Planet of the Apes. Now this journey, which questions everything he's been taught about the past, can determine the future for apes and humans alike. “The Fall Guy” (US) Opened May 1 Action/Comedy Directed by David Leitch A down-and-out stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is called ag

May 10, 2024

Suzy, Park Bo-gum star in AI fantasy romance ‘Wonderland’

“Wonderland,” a sci-fi fantasy and romance film set in the near future that deals with relationships, death and life, shows what it is like to communicate using AI technology, director Kim Tae-yong said Thursday. The movie revolves around people reuniting in a virtual world called Wonderland. Tang Wei, Suzy and Park Bo-gum star as those who ask to meet people they loved but cannot meet anymore in the real world. Jung Yu-mi and Choi Woo-shik appear as staff who support the AI service

May 9, 2024